well require all my paines my course of worshipping God and prayer might wholly busie me my paines in expounding Scripture by writing my writing Epistles my care of other mens affaires taketh up my time my converse with my friends which I use to call a feeding of my corps doth very badly steale away a great part of my time It was his usuall course either to meditate or to read or preach or to give good counsel to his friends so that he was never idle He was very liberall to the poore Luthers liberality On a time when a student asked some money of him he bad his wife give him some thing and when she excused the matter in regard of their penurie at that time he tooke up a silver cup and gave it to the Scholler and bid him sell it to the Gold-smith and keep the money for his occasions When a friend sent him 200. angels of gold from the metal-mines he bestowed them all on poore students When Iohn the Electour gave him a new gowne he said Mathes in his serm p. 144. that he was made to much of for if here we receive a full recompence of our labours we shall hope for none in another life When the same Electour offered him a vayne of Metals at Sneberg he refused it lest he should incurre the tentation of the Devill who is Lord of treasure under the Earth Tom. 2. ep pag. 342. He tooke nothing of Printers for his copies as he writeth saying I have no plenty of money and thus yet I deale with the Printers I receive nothing from them for recompence of my many copies How he dealt with Printers sometimes onely I receive of them one copie This I think is due to me whereas other writers yea translaters for every eight leaves have an Angel Concerning money given him thus he writeth The hundreth Angels given me I received by Tanbenhem and Schart gave me fifty that I stand in feare that God will give me my reward here But I protested that I would not so be satisfied by him I will either presently repay it or spend it For what should I doe with so much money I gave one halfe of it to P. Prior and made him a joyfull man His loving affection to his children He was very lovingly affectioned towards his children and gave them liberall education He kept in his house a Schoole-master to traine them up in good arts and a godly life When he saw Magdalen his eldest daughter ready to die he read to her that in Esay 26.19 Thy dead servants shall rise againe together with my dead body shall they arise Awake and sing ye that dwell in the dust For thy dew is as the dew of hearbs and the earth shall cast out the dead Come my people enter into thy chambers and shut thy doores about thee Hide thy selfe as it were for a little moment untill the indignation be over-past My daughter enter thou into thy chamber with peace I shall ere long be with thee For God will not permit me to see the punishments hanging over the head of Germany And upon this wept plentifully But in publique when he went along with the Herse he bridled his affection and was not seene to shed one teare And as all men of excellent spirits have a zealous anger in due place His anger zeale So Luther by nature was vehement but yet placable As appeareth in this that when Melancthon much moved to passion once came unto him and all the rest were very mute Luther uttered this verse Vince animos irámque tuam qui caetera vincis Thine owne heart overcome thy fury tame VVho all things els hast stoutly overcame And then smiling said we will not further dispute of this matter and turned his speech to other occasions He foresaw and foretold many things as the combustion which rose in Germany saying Tom. 2. epist p. 10. p. 207. I am very much afraid that if the Princes give eare to Duke George his ill counsell there will arise some tumult which will destroy all the Princes and Magistrates in all Germany and ingage in it all the Clergy Of the death of Frederik Elector of Saxony thus he writeth Tom. 2. epist. pag. 10. If God in heaven hath resolved in wrath to deale with us that neither our prayers nor counsels of amendment can hinder it let us obtain this that our Josias may sleep in peace though the world be left to go into its Babylon Of the covetousnesse of Germany and the dearth there thus he speaketh We feare famine Tom. 2. epist. pag. 207. and we shall suffer it and finde no remedie for it And when as without necessitie we are solicitous to prevent famine like wicked and incredulous Gentiles and neglect the word of God and his work he will permit shortly a dismall day to come upon us which will bring with it whole Wain-loads of cares which we shall neither have power or meanes to escape Divers other things he also foretold Of Luthers Heâ—lâ—â— He had his health competently well but that sometimes he was troubled with headach especially in his elder yeeres Whereupon he was afraid of some violent Aâ—oplexie and when he felt a swimming in his head or noyse in his eares he used to say Lord Iesu smite me gently for I am absolved from my sins according to thy word and am fed unto life eternall by thy body and bloud Thine Apostle John and our Elector were taken out of this world by this kinde of death He endured often tentations whereupon he said All here are in health except Luther who is sound in body and without suffers at no mans hand in the world onely the Devil and all his Angels vex him Of Luthers person He was of an indifferent stature of strong body of so Lionlike a quicknesse of his eyes that some could not endure to look directly upon him when he intentively beheld them They say that one of mild spirit who could not endure in private to talk with Luther was courteously used by Luther yet was so pierced with the quicknesse of his eyes that being amazed he knew no course better then to run from him His voyce was mild and not very cleare whereupon when on a time there was mention at table about Pauls voyce which was not very perfect and full Luther said I also have a lowe speech and pronuntiation To whom Melancthon answered But this small voyce is heard very farre and neere Of his wife and children after his â—eath In wedlock he lived chastly and godly above twentie yeers and when he died left three sonnes and Catharin de Bora a widow who lived after his death seven yeeres To her it was a great grief that her husband died in a place farre from her so that she could not be with him and performe the last conjugall offices to him in his sicknesse In the time of the warre which
Lords Supper is received by the worthy receivers what by the unworthy what by faith what without faith and censures Zwinglius Oecolampadius and others at Tigur who set forth an Apologie of their doctrin the yeere following Of this * In the life of Bulling and Lavat Histor Sacr. elsewhere is spoken This very yeere the 17. Luthers last Lecture of November he finished his explication of Genesis which was his last publique reading in the Universitie which he concluded with these words See Mathes Sermon concerning Luther p. 169. b. Thus end I my explication on Genesis God grant that others may more rightly and truly expound it then I have done I cannot proceed farther therein my strength faileth me pray for me that it would please God to grant me a quiet and comfortable departure out of this life This yeere in Italy was spread a most impudent lie about Luthers death The lye in Italy about Luthers death The summe of it translated out of the Italian is this A stupendious rare miracle which God ever to be praised Tom. 8. Jen. p. 206. shewed about the filthy death of Martin Luther a man damned both in body and soule so that it conduced to the glory of Jesus Christ and the amendment and comfort of godly men When Martin Luther was sick he desired the Lords body to be communicated to him which he receiving died presently When he saw that he must die he requested that his body might be set upon the Altar and be adored with divine worship But God to put an end to his horrible errours by a great miracle warned the people to abstain from the impietie which Luther invented For when his body was laid in his grave suddenly so great a stirre and terrour arose as if the foundations of the earth were shaken together Whereupon all at the funerall trembling were astonished and after a while lifting up their eyes beheld the sacred hoste appearing in the ayre Wherefore with great devotion of heart they placed the most sacred Host on the holy Altar Whereupon the fearefull noyse ceased But in the night following a loud noyse and ratling much shriller then the former was heard about the sepulcher of Luther which awaked all the Citie terrified them and almost kill'd them with astonishment In the morning when they opened the sepulcher they found neither his body nor his bones nor any of the cloathes but there came a sulphurous stinke out thereof which almost overcame the standers by By this miracle many were so amazed that they amended their lives for the honour of the Christian faith and the glory of Jesus Christ When this lye came Printed into Germany Luther did subscribe with his own hand words to this purpose I Martin Luther doe professe and witnesse under mine owne hand that I on the 21. day of March received this figment full of anger and fury concerning my death and that I read it with a joyfull mind and cheerfull countenance And but that I detest the blasphemy which ascribeth an impudent lie to the divine Majestie for the other passages I cannot but with great joy of heart laugh at Satans the Popes and their complices hatred against me God turne their hearts from their diabolicall maliciousnesse But if God decree not to heare my prayers for their sinne unto death then God graunt that they may fill up the measure of their sinnes and solace themselves to the full with their libels full fraught with such like lies This yeere Luther set forth a book intituled Against the Popedome ordained by the Devill In this he treats of the Councel appointed by the Pope and often adjourned or translated from place to place and of other plots of the Popes The Italian disgraced the Germans There he speaketh of the Campanian who comming out of Germany into Italy turned his bare breech towards Germany using words to the disgrace of the nation Luther published divers other Treatises as the explication of Christs speech Search the scriptures And shewed The blindnes ingratitude of the world in handling Christs complaint of Ierusalem By Luthers advice especially Georgius Anhaltinus undertooke the government of the Church of Mersberg Of this is spoken in the life of Duke George In the yeere 1546. An. 1546. Luther accompanied with Melancthon visited his owne countrey The Councel of Trent began Camerarius in vita Melanct. and returned again in safety Not long after the Councel of Trent being begun and having sate once or twice Luther was called again by the Earles of Mansfield to his owne countrey for to compose a dissention among them concerning their bounds and heritages Luther was not wont to deale in matters of this nature Luther called to Mansfield having been versed in sacred studies all his life time but because he was borne at Isleben a towne in the territories of Mansfield he was willing to do his countrey service in this kind Wherefore making his last sermon at Wittenburg the 17. He lodged at Justus Jonas his house day of Ianuary he tooke his journey on the 23. day And at Hall in Saxony lodged at Iustus Ionas his house Luthers danger where he stayed three dayes because of the roughnesse of the waters and preached the 26. of Ianuary upon Pauls Conversion On the 28. day being Thursday at Hall he passed over the river with Iustus Ionas and his own three sonnes and being in danger of drowning said to Dr Ionas Luther very sick Think you not that it would rejoyce the Devill very much if I and you and my three sonnes should be drowned When he came to the Earles of Mansfield he was entertained by a hundred horsemen or more of the Court Luthers imployment and was brought into Isleben very honourably but very sick and almost past recovery which thing he said did often befall him when he had any great businesse to undertake But using some meanes for cure of his infirmity he sate at supper with the company and so continued to do from the 29. of Ianuary to the 17. of February and treated of the differences for whose determination he came thither In this time he preached sometimes and twice received the Lords supper and publikely received two students into the sacred order of the Ministery And at his lodging used much godly conference at Table with his friends Luthers conference and every day devoutly prayed The day before his death though he was somewhat weake Whether in the other life we shall know one another yet he dined and supped with the company and at supper spake of divers matters and among other passages asked whether in Heaven we should know one an other when the rest desired to heare his judgement thereof He said What befell Adam he never saw Eve but was at rest in a deep sleep when God formed her yet when he awaked and saw her he asketh not what she was or whence she was
soar'd-up to heaven on Concords day Which tended Luther thither on his way Deare Christ since Discord followed with Coates rent Give to thy Spouse Elijahs ornament Upon his Tomb-stone the Universitie of Wittenberg as to her beloved father engraved The body of Martin Luther Doctour of Divinity lieth here interred who in An. 1546. the 12. of the Kalends of March died in Isleben the place of his birth when he had lived 63. yeeres 3. moneths and tenne dayes MARTINI LVTHERIS THEOLOGIAE D. CORPVS H. L. S. E. QVI ANNO CHRISTI M. D. XLVI XII CAL. MARTII EISLEBII IN PATRIA S. M. O. C. V. AN. LXIII M. III. D. X. Thus Luther ran his course this was the period of his travels When first Melancthon heard newes of his death he utttered these sacred words of the scripture The Charriot and horsemen of Israel is gone and tooke his death most heavily For they had lived together 28. Melancthons sorrow for Luthers death yeeres in most religious manner so that Melancthon truely loved him for his admirable vertues and was a faithfull mate and helper to him in clearing the doctrine of the Gospel Their intire love faithfull society For though those times were prone to distractions and mens wavering mindes desirous of dissention yet when as each knew others infirmities there never fell any jarre betweene them which caused any alienation of their affection or parting their company and fellowship But what and how great stormes rose in Germany after the death of Luther out alas What followed Luthers death each Christian knoweth So that Luther said truly and often foretold That whilst he lived by Gods help See Mathel Serm. on Luthers life there would no warre be raysed in Germany but when he was dead the age to come would see the event Concerning the doctrine of the Gospel he uttered this heavenly truth These things will be a great bane to Christian Religion First What will be great hinderances of Christian Religion forgetfullnesse of Gods blessing on us in restoring to us the Gospel Secondly security which already commonly and every where raigneth Thirdly worldly wisdome which would bring all things into good order and cure the publique stirres with wicked Councels There was in this worthy man of God a quicke and prudent understanding Luthers vertues a magnanimous and noble Spirit He was ever constant in known truth His constancy in the truth from the confession whereof he could never be removed with threats or promises So that when upon a time one Papist demanded of another Why do you not stop the mans mouth with gold and silver The other answered See this German beast careth not for money There appeared in him a singular proofe of his valour and noble courage in the Auspurg Assembly when thus he wrote out of his Wildernesse to Spalatinus That Kings and Princes and people Luthers couragious speech about the Gospels successâ— at the Assembly at â—dâ—â—pâ—â—g 1530. rage against the Christ or anointed of God I esteem it a good sign and think it much better then if they flattered For thereupon followeth that he that dwels in heaven laughes at them And when our Lord and King laughes I see no cause why we should weep before their faces He laughes not for his own sake but for ours that we rather trusting to him then to any thing else might laugh at their vain designs so much need is there of faith that the cause of faith may not be looked upon without faith But he that begun this worke he began it without our counsell and contrivance And he himself will forward with it and finish it without and beyond all our counsels and devises of this I make no question I know and am assured hereof He in whom I beleeve is able to do above all which we can aske or conceive Though Philip Melancthon contrive and desire that God should work according to and within the compasse of his counsels that he might have wherein to glory and say Surely thus the businesse should be carried Thus would I have done But this is not well spoken I Philip would have it so This I is too flat and dull too low a style It must be thus The God who saith I am that I am this is his name I am He will have it so It is not yet seen who he is but he will appear as he is and we shall see him But I have done Be you valiant in the Lord and put Melancthon in minde from me that he set not himself in Gods place but fight against that ambition of Deitie which was inbred and took rooâ— in us in Paradise by the devils suggestion for that is an affectation not furthering the businesse now in hand The desire of being like God thrust Adam and Eve out of Paradise and it alone doth trouble us and turn us out of the course of Peace We must be mortall men and not Gods Thus in briefe If we think otherwise everlasting unquietnesse and anguish of heart will be our reward Luther was ready for Martyrdom once or twice and thought his adversaries would have him to it whereupon at his going to Auspurg An. 1518. thus he wrote to his deare freind * Tom. 1. epist p. 85. Melanct. Shew your selfe a man of resolution as you already doe Teach the students Gods truth I am going if God so please to be sacrificed for them and you For I had rather die and never more enjoy which thing alone would be most grievous to me your most sweet societie then to recant and revoke any truth which I have preached and give occasion to overthrow the right course of studies And elsewhere he thus wrote * Tom. 1. epist p. 297. and Tom. 2. p. 340. to Spalatinus I had rather as I have often sayd die by the hands of the Romanists alone And would by no meanes that Charles and his Counsellours should interpose themselves in putting mee to death The Emperour Sigismund unhappy after Hus his death I know what misery befell Sigismund the Emperor after the martyring of Hus how nothing prospered with him afterward how he died without issue male how his daughters sonne Ladislaus also died and so had he his name extinguished in one age of men besides Barbara his Queen became a dishonour to the royall place she held and other matters which you well know But yet if it so please God that I shall be delivered into the hands not only of the Papists spiritual Governours but of Temporal Magistrates also the Lords will be done Amen And againe thus to Lambert Thorn imprisoned I rejoyce with you most heartily and give thanks to our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ that he hath not onely graciously given me the knowledge of his word Tom. 2 Epist but made me see a plentifull and glorious encrease of his grace in you Wretched man that I am It is reported that I first taught
as he came what they thought of the Seat of Rome They not knowing the force of this speech answered What know we whether at Rome ye sit on wooden or stone seats He further required of Luther that he would have a regard to the Churches peace and promised to endeavour that the Pope should do the like Luther freely promised most readily to doe what ever he could with a safe conscience in regard of Gods Trueth and affirmed that himself was desirous and studious of peace and that it was not his fault that these stirres arose for necessitie had urged him to do what he had done Multitius also called unto him Tecelius the cheife original of these debates Multitius reproveth Tecelius and with sharp wordes and threates so daunted the man Tom. 1. ep Luth. p. 152. and 208. Tecelius his death till now a clamorous unaffrighted bold face terrible to all so that ever after he languished and with heartes griefe pined away Luther wrote a consolatory letter to him in this case but for feare of the Popes indignation he died Frederik the Elector a prudent and Religious Prince neither yeelded to the Popes desire nor vouchsafed his Rose any respect though Multitius wonderfully boasted of it at Dresa sayd Doctour Martin is in my power About this time the Bohemians sending a booke written by Iohn Hus to Luther encouraged him to constancy and patience The Bohemians encourage Luther and confessed that the Divinity taught by Luther was sound and right Matters being growne to this height of dispute and Luther having many adversaries at Leipsick a towne in Misnia belonging to George Duke of Saxony Cosen german to Prince Frederik Carolostadius dispute with Eckius in the 19. yeere a disputation was held Thither came Andreas Carolostadius accompanied with Luther Melanchthon and Barninus Duke of Pomerania He at that time was in office in the University of Wittenberg Thither came also Iohn Eckius a Divine of Ingolstad Hereupon the 17. day of June Iohn Eckius and Carolostadius began the disputation about free-will Namely whether there be in man any free will to doe good as of himselfe that is as they say whether in congruitie we deserve grace when we doe what is in us to doe Eckius granted that there is not in man a genuine and naturall power and abilitie to doe a good worke but an acquired On this point eight dayes were spent by his playing the Sophister Luther could by no meanes obtaine leave of Duke George freely with his safety to dispute and thereupon came not as a disputer but an as Auditor to Leipsick under the protection granted to Carolostadius Whereupon Eckius comming to Luthers Lodging said Luther invited by Eckius to dispute that he heard that Luther refused to dispute Luther answered How can I dispute seeing I cannot obtaine protection from George the Duke To this Eckius replied If I may not dispute with you I will no longer dispute with Carolost adius For I came hither to dispute with you If I can obtaine for you the Dukes leave will you dispute When Luther assented thereunto Eckius presently procured for him a publique grant of safety and liberty to dispute This Eckius did out of an assured confidence of victorie and renowne to himselfe by confirming that the Pope is the Head of the Church Whether the Pope be head of the Church Jura Divino Iure Divino by Divine right which Luther denied Hence Eckius tooke occasion at large to flatter the Pope and demerit his favour and to derive much hatred and envie on Luther This the bold champion stoutly attempted in the whole disputation but was not able to make good his cause or confute Luther Eckius chiefe arguments were Eckius his argument that the Church could not be without an head seeing it was a body consisting of severall members Then he produced the place in Matthew Thou art Peter c. and some speeches of St Ierome and Cyprian and the Councel of Constance where against the Articles of the Hussites it was concluded That it was necessary to salvation that men should beleeve that the Pope was the Oecomenicall Bishop or Christs vicar over the whole world Afterward they entred into dispute about Purgatorie and Indulgences but in briefe about repentance about remission both of sin and its punishment and about the power of priests The two last dayes Carolostadius disputed againe and on the 14. day of July the disputation ended This disputation was set forth afterward by Luther who granted that the Pope by humane right was head of the Church Epist Tom. 1. p. 176. Whereupon Duke George inviting Luther and Eckius to dinner and embracing both of them sayd Whether the Pope have his authority by divine or humane right Pope he is Luther afterward changed his opinion about this point Before this disputation at Leipsick Luther was desired by Charles Multitius to goe to Confluence there to plead his cause before him being the Popes Commissary But Luther excused himselfe and shewed that for many reasons he neither could nor ought to goe thither In the yeere 1520. upon Multitius advise Luther wrote to the Pope An. 1520. Luther wrote to the Pope and sent him his booke lately written concerning Christian liberty and offered conditions of peace About this time Frederik the Elector fell into a grievous sicknesse Whereupon Luther moved by some friends and out of Christian charity wrote the booke called Tesseradecas to comfort him Then also he wrote the book Of Confession of sins in which he took occasion to speak of vowes and deplored their torturing of mens consciences And whereas in an other Treatise written by him he had said that he judged it behoofefull if the Councel would so permit that the Lords supper should be administred to all in both kindes This speech because it directly crossed the last Lateran Councel was excepted against by many amongst whom was Iohn Bishop of Misnia who prohibited the the Churchmen under his jurisdiction to administer the Lords supper in both kindes and enjoyned them to suppresse Luthers booke Luther maintained his cause and answered his Edict In the mean time the Divines of Lovan consulting with Adrian Cardinal of Derthuse then in Spain and the Divines of Cullen by a decree censure some of Luthers bookes as wicked and worthy to be burnt The Divines of Lovan and Cullen oppose Luther and held it fit that Luther should recant his opinions When Luther heard of this he answered every particular punctually And because he found so many and so great adversaries he wrote to Charles the fifth newly created Emperour and intreating pardon for this his addresse Luther writeth to Charles the fifth Emperour humbly besought him that he would so long onely afford him protection as that he might give account of his proceedings and overcome or be overcome because it would well beseeme the Imperirial power not to permit
shewed to be well decreed but could never be effected because they wanted learned men Concerning that which they decreed about books he rejected it not so that the decree did not extend to the sacred books of the Scripture the publishing whereof was in no wise to be prohibited Lastly concerning the amercing of Priests who either married or left their order the decree was too harsh and if the Gospel was purely to be preached Caesar was offended at the Decree ought to be mitigated The Emperour was somewhat offended with this decree and attempted by his Legate to take it away The Gospel propagated Tom. 2. epist pag. 121. but all in vain For this businesse was farre otherwise concluded of in heaven then at Norinberg as Luther wrote For the Princes and Cities of the Empire strove who first should admit the reformed doctrin This was done in Denmark Prussia Livonia Silesia and elsewhere In this yeere Luther set forth the book concerning the dignitie and office of the Civil Magistrate Luthers book concerning the Civill Magistrate 1523. Frederik the Elector was much delighted with this book He wrote also to the Waldenses commonly called the Picards concerning the adoring the Sacrament In which book he first mentions the opinion of Berengarius concerning the Lords Supper before he began the contention with the Helvetians He now also set forth the five books of Moses in the German tongue The German Pentateuch three thousand yeers since the death of Moses He published also a book to the Senate of Prague about ordeining of Ministers and another about avoyding the doctrine of men He wrote this yeere also to the Livonians and shewed his great joy at their entertaining the Evangelicall doctrin which many tyrants in Germany sought obstinately to oppresse and forewarned them that they must expect cruell persecutions of the same kind to the undergoing whereof he gravely and piously exhorted them encouraging them to be resolute and to persevere valiantly in the truth of the Gospel which they had received He further did instruct them briefly and plainely concerning Justifying faith and the true nature of good workes The forme of the Masse set out by Luther Chytreus in Sax. 10. pag. 282. He this yeere also set forth a forme of the Masse and Communion herein he retained all the usuall rites which were not plainly repugnant to the word of God as the preface out of the Psalmes the Kyrie the Collect the Epistle the sequence the Gospel the Creed the sermon the prayers the preface the Sanctus the Lords prayer the wordes of the Lordes supper the Elevation the agnus Dei the thanksgiving But the Canon of the Masse which transformed the Lords supper into a sacrifice for the quicke and the dead Auricular Confession he wholly omitted This was the first change of the rites though Carolostadius attempted the like before Auricular confession was also brought into use againe 2. Martyrs in Germany 1523 and private absolution also which Carolostadius had abandoned And when 2. Monkeâ— of the Augustinian profession were the first day of Iuly burnt by the Inquisitor first shed their bloud for the reformed doctrine of the faith Luther renowned their constancy with an hymme or Psalm and praised them as the first Martyrs of his time Of this story also Erasmus * Epist b. 21. b. 7. and b. 14. E. 4. writeth Then also Luther sent a Letter consolatory to the Augustins which is extant amidst his workes He wrote also to the Miltebergians who were then in danger for the Gospels sake Their first instructor was Iohn Draco Carolostadius Luther also comforted three noble Misnian virgins which were turned out of the Friburg Court of Henry Duke of Saxonie Other Nuns left their Cloysters elsewhere whereupon Luther wrote thus to Spalatinus There came to me those nine converted Nunnes who left Nimpschen Monastery miserable is their case but they were conducted by honest citizens of Torgaw Nunnes leaving their Cloysters namely by Leonard Coppe and his unkles sonne and Wolfius Tomitzech that there is no cause of suspition I much pity them but especially many other their like who every where in great number perish by their cursed and incestuous chastitie That sex is most weake of it selfe and by Gods and natures appointment is to be a mate for man and being by papisticall crueltie shut up from men is brought into perdition Tom. 2. Epist p. 131. Among them was Katherin de Bora who afterward was Luthers wife He writes to to the same Spalatinus elsewere of other Nunnes thus There departed 16. Tom. 2. cp p. 139. Nunnes out of the Monastery of Widderstetten under the Earle of Mansfield of which 11. came to the Quaestor of Alstet Of them Albertus received five It is now debated among them whether they ought to be entertained or rejected Tom. 2. cp p. 134. and 112. Nor yet is here an end of our newes This yeere is most fruitfull of Novelty and as I perceive still will be Luther also often was earnest with the Elector of Saxony suing to him by Spalatinus that he would demolish the Wittenbergian Bethaven that is the Colledge of All Soules And gave this reason Because almost all the Priests there not onely live wickedly but also are contemners of God and men with obstinate hearts and every night play the whoremasters and in the mornings say Masse with an impudent and brasen forehead For this he called Amsdorfe to witnesse and sayd that all of them except three were wanton persons and not to be maintained yea that it was the duty of the Magistrats to prohibite their whoredom compell them to marry For though no man can be compelled and forced to the truth yet publique wickednesse is to be taken away At the least the Masses might be forborne which were maintained at the Princes charge and were wickedly performed and to no good end Iohn the Prince of Anhalt by Doctour Ieronymus and a Franciscan warned Luther to acquite himselfe of holding a new Article with which Ferdinand of Norinberg did charge him namely that he held that Christ was the seed of Abraham Luther excusing himselfe Tom. 2. pag. 121. At the first Luther conceived that they jested with him but when he found that they spoke it sadly he was forced to give credit to their speech that he was in very deed so accused Frederik Duk. of Saxony warned to punish Luther Pope Adrian then opposed the Gospel and by his Bull as they call it very much blamed Frederik Electour of Saxony for the neglect of his duty in not punishing or banishing Luther And then warned and intreated the Prince that now at length he he would doe it and if he would not he should try how keen the Popes and Emperours swords were The same request Henry the eight King of England and Lodowik King of Hungary and Bohemia made To all these the Elector returned no other answer
may perchance be kicked against and trodden on after my death This yeere the Anabaptists spread themselves over Helvetia and other parts of Germany Anabaptists at Anwerp and began to broach their fancies at Anwerp Hereupon Luther by an Epistle warned them of Anwerp to take heed of the erroneous spirit Luther writeth to Anwerp which had hindred him very much and recited the impostures of false spirits in Popery and the by-pathes of the seducing spirits of the present times There he set downe the erroneous Articles of a tumultuous spirit at Anwerp and opened the inconstancy lying boldnesse and ambitious desire of honour lurking in that Spirit and entreateth them to forbeare the question concerning Gods hidden will and to attend to The Articles of the Anabaptists and learne the necessary precepts set before us by our God The Articles were these 1. That every man hath the Spirit 2. That the Spirit was nothing else but our reason and understanding 3. That every man beleeveth 4. That there were no inferi or place of torment for mens soules but that the body onely was condemned 5. That every soule should be saved 6. That by the law of nature we are taught to do good to our neighbour as we would he should doe to us and that this will in us was faith 7. That we sinne not against the law by desiring any thing if our will consent not to our desire and lust 8. That he which hath not the Spirit hath not sin because he wanteth reason which they called the Holy Ghost Now also Luther wrote to the King of England by the perswasion of Christiern the banished King of Denmark Tom. 2. Ep. 290. Luther writeth to the King of England c. This Epistle was submissive and is extant in his Epistles He wrote also humbly to George Duke of Saxony that he would be pleased to afford him his favourable respect But the King returned him an harsh answere and objected to him his levity and inconstancy and defended Cardinal Wolsey against Luthers writing to him that hence it appeared how he hated Luther When Luther saw the Kings answer printed he was very much grieved at what he had done and that he had so much yeelded to his friends as to write in so humble a strain The like befell him upon his writing to Cajetan George Duke of Saxony and Erasmus Rotterod who by Luthers lenity were incensed rather then pacified He resolved never afterward to run into the like errour Cocleus and Eckius wonderfully also insulted over Luthers submissivenesse Wherefore Luther now printed a booke against as he called it the Ill languaged and contumelious booke of the King of England An. 1526. In the yeare 1526. Luther refused Erasmus book intituled de serve Arbitrio The delaying of his answer proceeded from the cause certified to * Tom. 2. ep 270. Amsdorf in these words I will not answer Erasmus till I have done with Carolostade who makes great troubles and stirres in upper Germany Erasmus provoketh thereby put forth his Hyperaspides Erasm his Hyperasp of which book Luther thus writeth Erasmus that viper being rouzed up will write against me again Tom. 2. epist 314. what eloquence will that most vain hunter after glory exercise to cast down Luther About the same time Duke George and the Bishops attempted many wayes to wrong Luther as appeareth by his letter to Myconius saying The wicked Papists conspire and Epist pag. 324. as Melanctheus writeth to me from Iena threaten warre against me Wherefore see you that the people admonished hereof manfully contend by faithfull and continuall prayer to the Lord that they may be overcome and withheld by the Spirit and constrained to keepe outward peace Verily I understand by the writings and speeches of many that there is very great need of earnest prayer for Satans plots are a working Wherefore I intreat you that you would perswade the people to this most necessary and prevalent work because they are endangered and exposed to Satans sword and fury encompassing them He further saith Sixe Sects of the Sacramentarians That the Sectaries were divided into sixe Sects Sixe heads in one yeere are sprung up among the Sacramentarians t is a strange spirit which so much differs from it selfe One sect followed Carolostade that is fallen a second is that of Zwinglius which is falling the third is with Oecolampadius which will fall the fourth also which is Carolostade is fallen he thus disposeth of the words That which is given for you is my body The fifth is now arising in Silesia set forth by Valentine Crantwald and Caspar Schwenkfeld who thus invert the words My body which is given for you is this that is spirituall meat These grievously vex and molest us with their writings for they are most obstreperous and full of words I wish they had my disease of the Stone they seeme so strong to undergo it The sixth is that of Peter Florus at Cullen which Melancthon will deale with I never saw ought but one letter about it O how he reprobates Luther I know saith he that Luther is forsaken of the Lord. All those Spirits differing each from other contend with subtle arguments all of them boast of revelations obtained by prayer and teares and agree onely in this that all of them fight each with other for us This Christ effecteth for us Luther wrote a consolatory letter to Iohn Husse of Breslow a Teacher of the Gospel notwithstanding the scandall raised by the Heretiks and their fighting against the Articles of our Faith and in speciall manner he animated him against Schwenfeld and Crantwald Luthers speech of comfort to Hessus saying You speak the Truth friend Hesse Hitherto the combate was about points not grounded in the Scriptures as about the Pope and Purgatory and the like Now ye come to more serious matters and to the battell already won concerning points in the Scripture Here we shall see the Dragon fighting or rather we shall combat with him Michael being our Captain in these Heavenly fights When the Dragon shall pull down the third part of the stars with his tayle to the earth then the cause will call for our strength in Christ Here you shall see what manner a warriour and how strong a champion Satan is whom yet you have not sufficiently tried or had experience of Schwenkfeld and Crantwald which I much lament are reserved for these mischiefes But the foundation of God standeth firme having this seale The Lord knoweth who are his let this be our comfort and in this let us be confident to prevaile over the gates of Hell Besides other studies of Luther Tom. 2. epist 318. he now expounded Ecclesiastes which was not easie and plain as he said for an Interpreters labour There are saith he The forme of the German Masse therein many Hebraismes and obstacles in that tongue not yet well made known Yet by the grace of God
I break thorow them This yeere he wrote a forme of the Masse in the German tongue in which he permitted some ceremonies to be used or not used at mens pleasures Among other speeches thus he saith Yet we retain those garments altars His work at Jen. Tom. 3. p. 277. waxe-candles used at the Masse till they grow old or that it seeme good to change them If it please any man to do otherwise I permit him to do as he liketh best But in the true Masse among Christians unmixt with Papists it is fit that the altar should not remain but that the Minister should turn himself to the people as Christ doubtlesse did at the first celebration of the Lords Supper But let this also await its due time He wrote also foure consolatory Psalmes to Mary Queen of Hungary upon the miserable death of her husband King Lodowick who was drowned He then also divulged other Treatises which are mentioned in his works An. 1527. The Anabaptists In the 27. yeere the Anabaptists broached their new doctrin about the not baptizing of Infants and were themselves rebaptised they also taught communitie of goods Both Luther and Zwinglius wrote against them and the Magistrates punished them in divers places Of the military life Luther wrote also upon the question whether souldiers lived in a kinde of life tending to happinesse In which discourse he learnedly and godly handled many things concerning warre and its discipline He dealt also against the Sacramentarians as he calleth them and in his book averreth that Christs word This is my body yet stand firme Tom. 2. epist p. 331. Of the book thus Luther writeth to Spalatinus I doubt not but that I have throughly moved the Sacramentarians for though my book be full of words and not so learned yet I am perswaded that I have touched them to the quick Bucer hath written most virulent letters against me unto our Jonas already they make a Satan of Luther what suppose you that they will do when they be gauled with that book But Christ liveth and raigneth What strange portent was before his death See Tom. 2. epist pag. 337. Amen He also comforted them of Hall for the death of George Winckler their Pastor who was slain by conspiracy He also answered Iohn Hessus to the question Whether a Christian man may flie in time of Pestilence and to an other question namely Whether after the truth of the Gospel is made known a man may for feare of the tyrants forbeare to administer the Lords Supper in both kinds which Luther denyed against the Prischanists About the beginning of the yeere 27. Luther fell suddenly Luther sicknesse 1527. sicke of a congealing of bloud about his heart which almost kil'd him but the drinking of the water of Carduus Benedictus whose vertue then was not so commonly knowne he was presently helped But he wrastled with a farre worse agony afterward on the Sabbath after the visitation of the blessed Virgin This is recorded by Iohn Bugenhagius and Iustus Ionas who saw his affliction A worse sicknesse afterward Here he indured not onely a corporall malady but also a spirituall tentation which Luther called a buffiting of Satan It seemed to him that swelling surges of the sea in a tempest did sound aloud at his left eare and against the left side of his head yet not within but without his head and that so violently that die he must except they presently grew calme Afterward when it seemed to come within his head he fell downe as one dead and was so cold in each part of his body that he had remaining neither heat nor bloud nor sence nor voyce But when his face was besprinckled with cold water by Jonas for so Luth. had bidden he came again to himself and began to pray most earnestly and to make a confession of his faith to say that he was unworthy of Martirdom which by his proceedings he might seemed to run upon Luthers last Will. His will and Testament concerning his wife with child and his young sonne this he made Lord God I thank thee that thou wouldest have me live a poore and indigent person upon Earth I have neither house nor lands nor possessions nor mony to leave Thou hast given me wife and children them I give back unto thee Nourish teach keep them O thou the father of orphans and Iudge of the widow as thou hast done to mee so do unto them Luthers recovery But by using daily prayers and continuall fomentations after that he had sweat thoroughly the griefe by degrees decreased so that in the evening of that day he rose up and supped with his friends and confessed that his spirituall temptation was farre sorer then his corporall sicknesse Hereupon the day following he sayd to Iustus Ionas I will take speciall notice of the day last past in which as in a schoole I was put to the tryall of my progresse And sate in a most hot sweating house The Lord bringeth to the graves mouth and fetcheth back againe He often makes mention of this tentation in his letters to his friends and confirmed the faith by receiving absolution from a Minister and the use of the Sacrament Leon Keisar burnt for Religion This yeere also he put forth the Story of Leonard Keisar his friend who was burnt for the Gospels sake at the Command of William Duke of Bavaria Of this mans Martyrdome thus Luther writes I have received the relation concerning Leonard Keisars death Tom. 2. pag. 354. b. as also all his manuscripts from his Vnkles son which shall shortly be published God willing Pray for me who have been much buffetted by the Angel of Satan that Christ should not forsake me O wretch that I am and so much inferiour to Leonard I am a preacher onely in wordes in regard of him so powerfull a preacher by his suffering Who can make me fit that not by his Spirit double on me but by one halfe of it I may overcome Satan put a period to this life Blessed be God who among so many monsters hath shewed us unworthy sinners this one glorious spectacle of his grace that he may not seeme wholly to have forsaken us Then also by the advise of Luther and the Command of Iohn the Elector was ordained a visitation of the Churches in Saxony An. 1527. 1528. The chiefe care of this businesse was committed to Iohn a Plannitz a noble Knight to Ierom Schurfius a Lawyer Asmus Hanbicius and Melancthon Many matters were hereby discried which needed speedy redresse many faults were found which must necessarily be amended nor can I easily say how great was the benefit of this visitation For faults of many yeeres continuance were reformed the Churches falne backe were in many places confirmed and their safety for time to come was well provided for This visitation ended An. 1528. in which yeere Luther put forth the Institution of Visiters and
but saith that she was flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone Now how knew he that He being full of the Holy Ghost and endued with the knowledge of God thus spake After the same manner we also shall be in the other life renewed by Christ and shall know our parents our wives and children and all about us much more perfectly then Adam knew Eve at her bringing to him After supper when he went aside to pray Luthers disease of which he died as was his custome the paine in his breast began to increase whereupon by the advice of some there present he tooke a little Vnicornes horne in wine and after that slept quietly an houre or two on a pallat neer the fire When he awaked he betooke himselfe to his chamber went to bed and bidding his friends good night admonished them who were present to pray God for the propagation of the Gospel because the Councel of Trent and the Pope would attempt wonderfull devises against it Having thus said after a little silence he fell asleep But was awaked by the violence of his disease after midnight Then complained he again of the narrownesse of his breast and perceiving that his life was at an end he thus implored Gods mercy and said O heavenly father my gracious God Luthers prayer before his death and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ thou God of all consolation I give thee heartie thanks that thou hast revealed to me thy Son Iesus Christ whom I beleeve whom I professe whom I love whom I glorifie whom the Pope of Rome and the rout of the wicked persecute and dishonour I beseech thee Lord Iesus Christ to receive my soule O my gracious heavenly Father though I be taken out of this life though I must now lay down this fraile body yet I certainly know that I shall live with thee eternally and that I cannot be taken out of thy hands He added moreover God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Son that every one who beleeveth in him should not perish but have life everlasting And that in the 68. Psalme Our God is the God of salvation and our Lord is the Lord who can deliver from death And here taking a medicine and drinking it he further said Lord I render up my spirit into thy hands and come to thee And again Lord into thy hands I commend my spirit thou O God of truth hast redeemed me Here as one falling asleep and without any bodily pain that could be discerned he departed this life And when Doctor Ionas and Caelius said O reverend father do you die in the constant confession of that doctrin of Christ Luthers death which you have hitherto preached He answered so as he might be heard yea which was the last word he spake Thus he in his native countrey not having seen it many yeers before dyed much lamented by many This fell on the eighteen of February on the day in the Calender ascribed to Concord about three a clock in the morning in the great climactericall yeere of his age Soone after his body put into a coffin of Lead was carried in funerall manner to the Temple of Isleben where Iustus Ionas preached Then the Earles of Mansfield desired that his body should be interred within their territories But the Elector of Saxony required that it should be brought back to Wittenberg In the return thereof which way so ever it went it was honourably attended and with much griefe accompanied out of each Princes Dominion and at length upon the 22. Luthers body brought to Wittenberg of February in the afternoon was brought to Wittenberg and was carried into the Temple neere adjoyning to the Castle with such a troop of Princes Earles Nobles their living as students and other people that the like was seldome or never seene in that town When the funerall rites were performed His honourable buriall Pomeranus preached to an assembly of many thousands And after that Melancthon with many teares and sighes made a funerall Oration When this was done the coffin with his body was put by the hands of divers learned men into the tomb neere to the pulpit in which he had made many learned Sermons before divers Princes Electors and the Congregation of many faithfull Christians In a brazen plate his picture lively deciphered was there set up with verses by it to this effect This Sepulchre great Luthers Corps containes This might suffice yet read these following strains HEer in this Vrne doth Martin Luther rest And sweetly sleep in hope to rise most blest By whose rare pains firme faith and Christs free Grace Which formerly thick Fogs of Error base And duskie Clouds of Works desert hid quite Were well reduced to their ancient Light For when blind Superstition ruled All And did faire Truth long time suppresse and thrall He by Gods Word and Spirits inspiration The Gospels Light re-spred for every Nation And well-instructed by Pauls sacred voyce Scorning Romes Cheats to teach pure Truth made choste And as Iohn Baptist in the Wildernesse Did Gods Lamb who heales Sin Preach and expresse So O Sweet Christ did Luther cleare thy book When all the World was caught with Errors book And what the difference was betwixt the Law Whose tables Moses brake though God he saw Vpon Mount-Sinai and the Gospel sweet Which heales Sin-conscious hearts which Gods wrath meet This difference lost to th' world He did restore That so Christs gifts of Grace might shine the more He stoutly did oppose Romes Cheats and Charmes And Papal rule which wrought Gods Saints great harms Exhorting all Romes idols for to flie He many soules wan to true pietie And maugre all Romes threats and snares most slie Finisht in Faith his Course most valiantly Dying in peace his Soule with Christ doth rest Crown'd with immortall Glory truly blest For which rare Doctor let both high and low Blesse God that they so cleare Christs truth do know And pray the Lord that these his Gospels rayes May to the World shine-forth for datelesse dayes Philip Melancthon Dead is grave Luther worthy all due praise Who set forth Christ in Faith illustrious rayes His Death the Church laments with Sighs sincere Who was her Pastour nay her Patron deare Our Israels Chariots and Horsemen rare Is Dead with me let All sad Sables weare Let them their griefe in groaning verses sing For such sad Knells such Orphans best may ring Theodore Beza Rome tam'd the World the Pope tam'd Rome so great Rome rul'd by Power the Pope by deep Deceit But how more large than Theirs was Luthers Fame Who with One Pen both Pope and Rome did tame Go fictious Greece go tell Alcides then His Club is nothing to great Luthers Pen. John Major By Luthers labours Leo the tenth is slain Not Hercles Club but Luthers Pen's his bane Joachim a Beust When Luther dy'd then with him dy'd most sure A Crown and credit of Religion pure His Soul